They were each dressed in a military uniform and wore a red cape with a river-of-blood pattern on it.

All of them had a stern expression that sent shivers down the spines of all who stood in the crowd.

Lovell locked eyes with one of the two female instructors.

She had a long scar plastered across her face. Her unsmiling expression made him take a step back.

She jumped from the podium from a height of roughly 15 meters and descended with vigor.

The small crater she made immediately forced out a memory he had been trying to forget.

So she's a Dreadborn too.

The other instructors did the same, forcefully imprinting their superiority into the hearts of the masses.

No one among them spoke a word, but the crowd instantly understood: "You will listen and obey, or die."

Seeing as how no one was willing to test their luck, Alicia continued speaking, "They will be your new masters. Each platoon will have up to 60 members, and you will not be allowed to switch after. Now pick."

Lovell was a little pleased he could choose his own path. This meant he still had room to avoid anything fatal.

To his shock, the five masters began moving among the crowd and started pointing at different individuals.

This... they get to choose?

He gritted his teeth from frustration. He felt a little unresigned but still clung to the hope that his path wasn't completely sealed off.

Let's hope I at least land with someone who is sensible.

He stood still and waited for his turn.

The anxiety bubbled inside of him, making him pay close attention to the masters moving among the crowd.

The tall, robust man is choosing individuals who look like they could make good tanks. Is he a defense specialist?

The short master with freckles on his face is moving like the wind. I can't even properly notice him move. Is he some kind of assassin? That works in my favor. Let's hope he comes this side.

Hmmm? The other woman among them is only picking women from the crowd. That is a little...

Where's that woman with the scar on her face?

Lovell looked around and noticed she was the one closest to him. She looked like she was almost finished with her selection.

The people she had chosen had already moved from the crowd and formed their own group.

They numbered about 55 already.

She should be finishing up...

Lovell contemplated, and his eyes widened when he saw her finger pointed at him.

He exchanged looks with Derek, who had also been chosen, but by a different instructor.

He walked away to find his group and saw that the numbers had thinned out among the crowd.

...

A short while later, everyone had been chosen and had a group.

The instructors then made their introductions.

"I am your master from today onwards. My name is Cynthia Dole. I have no interest in learning your names, nor will I expect any of you to remember mine. The only thing our relationship requires is that I teach and you learn. Is that understood?"

The tense group responded in a low tone, "Yes ma'am."

She seemed to be displeased by the lack of enthusiasm and sharpened her gaze.

Everyone flinched and responded with renewed vigor.

"YES MA'AM!!"

"Good... From today onwards, you will collectively be known as Group 3."

The other groups also received their corresponding numbers.

"I will only teach two days a week for two hours. Next month, you will receive a mission to test your progress."

Everyone dreaded what sort of mission they would receive.

Hope was such a fleeting thing. Although they had been told they would become Dreadborn, the process would carry fatal risk.

Just as they were about to leave, Alicia walked to Group 3. It seemed she had something to say to Cynthia.

What does this crazy woman want now?

As he swam in his own fantasies about her, she looked over at him.

She recognized him and spoke to Cynthia, "What's this now? Cynthia, you found yourself an interesting individual, didn't you? I hope you have fun with him."

Cynthia was a little confused as to whom she was referring and traced Alicia's eye line.

She saw the unkempt youth she had locked eyes with earlier.

She developed a little curiosity toward him and smirked at him.

Lovell was suddenly thrust into the spotlight by the sadistic 'principal' and was now facing a scarred woman he knew nothing about.

His heart sunk.

Why is it always like this?

...

After earning money for about a week, Lovell and his men managed to save up enough money to move out of Rose's shed and found a relatively better place to stay.

The area was a rundown house at the far end of the cave that had been recently 'vacated'.

It didn't have that much space but still allowed about a dozen or so people to squeeze themselves in.

It is rather... intimate, but this is still better than living in that shed. Plus, once I start getting paid, we can buy a few more essentials. Right now, we have to borrow each other's coats and sleep in turns. It's barely functional.

Lovell walked along the streets of the cave city with his mind in the clouds. The passersby all seemed like a blur.

He was in thought about how to better optimize his time.

Various ideas came and went.

He entered Jerome's Easier Life shop and saw the deceptively young girl.

"Hi Lu."

"Oh! Lovell..."

Perhaps I found her at a bad time.

She was wolfing down a meat dish—something rather rare in the academy—with a hurried pace.

Where is that aloofness you demonstrated yesterday?

The internal criticisms were snuffed out as soon as they emerged, lest he develop an unbecoming image of her.

"I wanted to ask you if you know anything about an instructor named Cynthia."

Lu and Jerome had been at the academy for about two years. They already had general knowledge about the important people.

"Dole, huh... well, there's not much to say. She's somewhat of a lone wolf and doesn't like to interact with people. My advice... keep your head down."

That's a little difficult to do thanks to Alicia.

"Okay, thank you... Is Jerome here? I was hoping to discuss if he could give me an advance pay."

Lu looked over to Lovell and broke out in laughter.

"That was funny, Lovell. Advance pay? In this city? You’ll only get paid after you do your work. No one is trusting enough to assume you’ll live the next day. Why waste money on a dying horse?"

Lovell had, of course, considered that, but he was in urgent need of money.

The training he was doing left him sore and hungry.

If he was to grow, he needed to build and solidify his efforts—which was difficult to do when he had no money for support.

He sunk into thought, and his mind raced for other avenues he could pursue.

Is that the only way?